Apparatus for feeding pulverized fuel



Aug 4, 1925.

W. R. FIELD APPARATU FOR FEEDING PULV'ERIZED FUEL Fild Feb, 9. 1921Patented Aug. 4, 1925.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM FIELD, or nnce'run, ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS son FEEDING PULVERIZED FUEL.

Application filed February 9, 1921. Serial mi. 443,642.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. FIIIBLD, a

I citizen of .the United States, residing at Decatur, in the county ofMacon and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Apparatus for Feeding Pulverized Fuel, of which thefollowing is a specification. I

This invention relates to apparatus for burning pulverized fuel andparticularly to improvements in apparatus for feeding the pulverizedfuel.

Difliculties arise in feeding pulverized fuel to fuel burners because ofthe tendency of the fuel, even when dry to pack in the storage tank, andbecause of its tendency to arch. This interferes with the regular anduniform feed of the fuel and causes either a diminution in the rate offeed or what is known as flooding whenever an arch in the fuel breaks. v

The invention has for an object to provide improved apparatus forfeeding pulverized fuel which will be simple and inexpensive inconstruction, and reliable in operation.

A further object is to provide apparatus of this character in which thefeeding of the fuel will be re I lar and uniform and in which arching anflooding of the fuel will be'prevented, I

A still further object is to provide a novel and improved means 'forvarying the rate of feed of fuel. Y I v The invention consists in thenovel arrangements, constructions and combinations to be hereinafterdescribed and claimed, for carrying out the above stated object and suchother objects as will appear from the following description.

The invention is illustrated in its, preferred embodiment in theaccompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of astorage vessel and the feeding apparatus.

Figure 2 is a vertical section thereof.

Figure 3 is a horizonal section taken onthe line 33 of Fig. 2, and

Figure 4 is'an enlarged detail view, being a vertical. section showingthe means for preventing leakage.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in the several figuresof the drawing. In the drawings, 10. designates a fuel storage or supplytank, sup rted on suitable supports 11 and prefera 1 having at thebottom thereof a neck 12 o restricted crosssection and preferablycylindrical in form. The bottom of the vessel is open, as indicatedat13, and the lower edge of the neck 12 is provided with a downwardlyand inwardly inclined flange 14. Placed across the opening 13 is ahorizontal revoluble disk 15 suitably supported by a vertical, revolubleshaft 16. The disk is provided with a central recess 17 for receivingthe upper end of the shaft 16. The shaft and disk are connectedr1g1dlytogether in any suitable'manner, so

that the latter may be rotated .bythe former.

Suitable mechanism for rotating the disk 15 at a proper speed isprovided.

Arranged coaxially with the shaft and disk is a cone 18 having dependingfrom the lower edge thereof a circular ring 19 which rests on the disk.The cone and ring are secured in place on the disk so as to rotatetherewith by means of a bolt 20 which screws into a vertical hub 21 andclamps the cone and ring firmly in place, the hub 21 being preferablyformed integrally with the housin of the recess 17.

I The upper surface of the cone is provided with a plurality of ribs 22which are preferably inclined' in the direction of rotation of the disk.As illustrated, the disk is adapted to rotate in a clockwise direction.

A swinging feed gate23 is provided in theside wall of the neck 12adjacent the disk.

age of fuelover the top of the gate, the I latter, is provided with aguard or cover 25 which contacts with the upper edge 26 of the gateopening 27 Preferably, packing material 28 is provided along the u peredge 26 and contacting with the. guar 25 to insure againstleakage. .Thegate 23 is hinged along the vertical edge 29 so as to be adjustable andthe cover 25 thereof is provided with a pluralit 'of openings 30 intowhich a pin 31 may inserted for securing the gate in adjusted position.

' A win or scraper 32 secured to the lower edge of t e neck 12 andcontacting with the rotating disk is provided for scraping or guidingoff the fuel fed through the ate onto the outer margin 33 of the disk.The

scraper is set at an angle to the direction of motion of the disk atthat point so as to guide the fuel tothe outer edge thereof.

ita'ble means such as a chute 34, is pro- -vided f r receivmgthe fuelfrom the disk and.

for directing it to the fuel burner. The fuel may be carried to theburner in any desired manner, either by a current of air or somemechanical conveying means. Such means form, however, no part of thepresent invention. It is sufficient to note that any suitableconveyingmeans may be employed with the feeding apparatus.

' 0pemtion.-Pulverized fuel may be placed to any desired level in thevessel 10. In the arrangement shown the disk is rotated at a uniformrate in a clockwise direction. The ribs 22 on the rotating cone serve tocut down the fuel into the annular space 24 so as to maintain a constanthead at this point. The friction of the fuel on the disk rotates thefuel in the annular space 24 with the disk so that a portion thereof isdischarged through the gate opening, depending upon the position of theforward edge 35 of the gate. If a greater rate of feed is desired, thegate is moved inwardly. The inclined flange'll reduces the pressure orhead of fuel on the disk adjacent the edge of the flange and preventsany substantial leakage of the fuel around the lower edge of the Vessel.The ring 19 also prevents arching of the fuel between the inclinedflange 14 and the 'cone. By maintaining the annular space 24 full offuel both flooding and diminution in rate of feed are prevented.

It is not necessary to provide variable speed mechanism for rotating thedisk. Any adjustment in the rate of feed of the fuel may be easilyaccomplished by adjustment of the gate.

' I claim:

1. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a storagevessel open at the bottom, a rotatable disk across said bottom, anadjustable feeding gate hinged to extend into said vessel adjacent saiddisk, and a laterally projecting guard on the top of said gate forpreventing leakage of fuel over the same.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a storagevessel open at the bottom, a rotatable disk across said bottom, anadjust-able feeding gate in the side wall of said vessel adjacent saiddisk and extending into said vessel, a cover on the top of said gate andpacking in said vessel across the top of said gate opening andcooperating with said cover for preventing leakage of fuel over the topof said gate.

3. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a storagevessel the bottom formed with an inwardly beveled flange around itslower edge, and aving a discharge ogening in its side wall adjacent saidlower e ge, a horizontal, rotatable disk across said bottom, means forrotating said disk and a feeding gate for opening and closing saiddischarge opening to control the discharge of fuel.

4. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a storagevessel having a feeding neck at the bottom thereof, said neck being openat its lower end and having a downwardly inclined flange around saidopening, a rotatable disk across said opening and extending beyond thesides of said neck. means for rotating said disk, a cone in said neckcoaxial with said disk and haying a ring depending from the lower edgethereof and resting on said disk. means connecting said cone to saidrotatable disk so that said cone and disk rotate together, ribs on saidcone for cutting into the fuel in said vessel, a feeding gate in theside of said neck and extending into said vessel adjacent said ring, andmeans for adjusting said gate.

5. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a storagevessel having a feeding neck at the bottom thereof, said neck being openat its lower end and having a downwardly inclined flange around saidopening, a rotatable disk across said opening and extending beyondthesides of said neck, means for rotating said disk, a cone in said neckcoaxial with said disk and having a ring depending from the lower edgethereof and resting on said disk, means connectin said conev to saidrotatable disk so that said cone and disk rotate together, ribs on saidcone for cutting into the fuel in said vessel, a feeding gate in 'theside of said neck and extending into said vessel adjacent said ring,means for adjusting said gate, and means for removing the fueldischarged through said gate from said disk.

6. In apparatus of the class described,

the combination of a storage vessel havin a feeding neck at the bottomthereof, sai

neck being open .atits lower end and having a downwardly inclined flangearound said opening, a rotatable disk across said opening and extendingbeyond the sides of said neck, means for rotating said disk, a cone insaid neck coaxial with said disk and having a ring depending from thelower edge thereof and resting on said disk, means connecting said coneto said rotatable, disk so that said cone and disk rotate together, ribson said cone for cutting into the fuel in said vessel, a feedin gate inthe side of said neck and extending into said vessel'adjacent said ring,means for adjusting said gate, and a stationary scraperengaging theupper surface of said disk for removing the fuel fed through said gate.

. WILLIAM R. FIELD.

